Discussions By Condition: I cannot get a diagnosis.

severe chronic knee pain in both knees!

I'm an 18 year old very sporty girl. At Christmas 2009 I started developing extreme knee pain in both legs after training, when the pain continued I went to my doctor who referred me to a physio after taking my bloods and getting an xray. The physio believed the problem was coming from my feet and had me fitted for orthodics. He diagnosed me with Chondro Malacia Patella and gave me strengthening exercises to carry out (which did not work, nor did the orthodics). He then told me there was nothing more that he could do for me and that I would grow out of it within a year. This was in April of 2010 and I was only 14. The pain only continued to get worse and worse and it really really held me back in my sport. I spent the next three years going to a number of different specialists who could not come up with an exact diagnosis, I was basically told every time "I don't know". Last Christmas (2012) I got an MRI scan, which showed up very little. The report said it could be "either a tendon tear or swelling of the tendon". This can not be the case because I suffer equal pain in both knees. I recently went back to the very first physio who diagnosed me with Chondro Malacia Patella. He told me that due to the fact I have not grown out of it yet almost four years later that it can not be Chondro Malacia Patella, his new theory is that it is Synovitis of the knees. But even still, he can not confirm!!

This is taking over my life completely and has completely destroyed my sporting career. I continue to train and play matches through the intense pain because the game is what I love, but I will never reach my full potential as long as this continues.

My symptoms are: extreme swelling and puffiness of the knee caps, limited mobility around the joint, weakening of surrounding muscles, knees are very hot, can not stand for too long, can not sit for too long, next to impossible to walk up or down stairs, sitting in the back of a car or any confined space with my knees bent is a definite no, cracking sensation and noise when knees are bending, knees often give way while walking or standing. Pain gets so intense that I almost can't breathe.

It's not right that a fit and active 18 year old girl suffers from joint immobility like this. It is really taking over my life and I urgently need a solution or at least a proper diagnosis!! ​